1. Bill Moyers, U.S. Journalist - I find it stunning, looking back, how easily the cold war enticed us into surrendering popular control of the government to the national security state. We've never come closer to bestowing absolute authority to the President. Setting up White House operatives to fight dirty little wars is a direct assumption of war powers expressly forbidden by the Constitution. 1

2. Michael Franti, Singer & Activist - Yes, you can bomb the world to pieces, but you can't bomb it to peace. 2

3. James Madison, U.S. Founding Father - Perhaps it is a universal truth that the loss of liberty at home will be charged to dangers, real or imagined, from abroad. 3

4. Roger Wilkins, former U.S. Asst. to Attorney General - National Security for the United States is making the United States a good place to live, where people want to be active, intelligent, involved citizens. For the people at the top to say, "This world is too complicated and so dangerous, just a few of us need to govern it and hold the secrets in and we will tell you what's good for you," that is moving down the road to dictatorship. 4

5. Walter Clemens, Jr., Political Scientist - The more voices and interests with access to necessary information can make themselves heard, the more likely governments are to act wisely. 5

6. Corazon Aquino, former Phillipine President - There is a strong temptation in dealing with both terrorism and with guerilla actions, for government forces to act outside the law. Not only is this morally wrong, but over time it will create more practical difficulties for the government thanit solves. 6

Above the Law: Bush’s Racial Coup in Florida / How his administrationhindered the FBI’s terrorist investigation into the bin Laden family & the Royal Family of Saudi Arabia - interview with Greg Palast of the London Guardian